Here's the skinny on the Zumba craze

Tina Adamo-Perciballi, standing center, dance/Zumba instructor at Xtreme Dance, poses with members of a Zumba class she conducts at her Pleasant Plains dance studio.STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — If your exercise routine is humdrum, boring and getting you down — there’s hope in sight!

Though workouts are healthy, rewarding and benefit the body — they’ve truly never been known to be exciting — until now, that is! In comes the Zumba program to save the day — and exercise has never been the same!

Google the word Zumba and one learns quite simply that it’s an aerobic fitness program that originated in Colombia in the 1990s, created by Miami-based dancer and choreographer Beto Perez and two entrepreneurs, Alberto Perlman and Alberto Aghion.

Basically, it’s a fusion of Latin and international music that creates an effective fitness system with easy-to-follow moves. Experts say Zumba fanatics achieve long-term benefits in an hour of calorie-burning, body-energizing movements. Classes are offered for all ages and abilities.

And because Staten Islanders have always been known to be at the forefront when it comes to working out and pumping iron, several Zumba classes are offered in our own backyard.

According to Tina Adamo-Perciballi, “Zumba is formatted with fast and slow rhythms and it tones and sculpts the body.”One such class is provided by dance/Zumba instructor Tina Adamo-Perciballi of Xtreme Dance, a dance center located on Amboy Road in Pleasant Plains.

“Zumba,” she says, is really quite different from other exercise workouts.

“It’s formatted with fast and slow rhythms and it tones and sculpts the body,” says Tina, before adding that the dance movements “are easy to follow and touch on all areas of the body — the legs, arms, core and abs — and most importantly, it really works your heart.”

Loving what she does, Tina tells us she’ll be attending the Zumba Convention come August in Orlando, Fla., an event that she describes as four days of Zumba — nonstop.

The certified dance teacher, who also doubles as an elementary school teacher, says you don’t have to be a dancer to take this type of class.

“It’s an exercise in disguise,” she points out before noting that it’s no fun to work out by yourself — but rather with a fun group of people — it’s like a party. In fact, the Zumba slogan asks participants to “ditch the workout and join the party.”

Tina is certified in Zumba, a class for all levels — Zumba tone, a strength-building class that employs the use of maraca-like toning sticks, Zumba II, belly dancing, Bollywood (an Indian hip hop) and reggae — as well as other cultural dances.

Somewhat of a revolution, the movement is spreading like wildfire — and has already taken its place as the single most influential movement in the industry of fitness.

Some background info on how it all happened: It’s been said that one day Zumba creator Beto Perez walked into his aerobics class and realized he’d forgotten his aerobics music. Thinking quickly, he grabbed whatever tapes he had in his backpack — tapes comprised of tunes he loved, the traditional Latin salsa and merengue music he listened to all his life.

However, it was a challenge to be inventive and use non-traditional aerobics music. From his last-minute creativeness, a revolutionary new concept in fitness was born — the Zumba Fitness-Party — and the class soon became the most popular at his fitness facility. As a result, it was brought to the United States.

So if you’re interested in burning 500 to 1,000 calories in an hour, Zumba’s for you.

Those interested in contacting Tina at Xtreme Dance may do so by telephoning 718-967-9565.